Electronic color code: Difference between revisions

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{{Use list-defined references|date=December 2021}}

[[Image:2.26 kilo-ohm precision resistor.jpg|thumb|upright|A {{val|2.26|ul=kΩ}}, 1%-precision resistor with 5 color bands ([[E96 series]]), from top, 2-2-6-1-1; the last two brown bands indicate the multiplier (×10) and the tolerance (1%).]]

An '''electronic color code''' or '''electronic colour code''' (see [[American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or|spelling differences]]) is used to indicate the values or ratings of electronic components, usually for [[resistor]]s, but also for [[capacitor]]s, [[inductor]]s, [[diode]]s and others. A separate code, the [[25-pair color code]], is used to identify wires in some [[telecommunicationtelecommunications]]s cables. Different codes are used for wire leads on devices such as transformers or in building wiring.

==History==

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From top to bottom:

* Green, blue, black, black, brown

** 56560 ohms ±1%

* Red, red, orange, gold

** {{val|22000|u=ohms}} ±5%

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* Blue, grey, black, gold

** 68 ohms ±5%

* First band - Brown, Second band - Black, Third band - Red, Fourth band - Gold,

** 1,000 ohms ±5% (1k Resistor<ref>{{Cite web |title=Resistor Color Calculator |url=https://www.resistorcolorcalculator.com/ |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=www.resistorcolorcalculator.com}}</ref>)

The physical size of a resistor is indicative of the [[power (physics)|power]] it can dissipate.

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{{Further|List of electronic color code mnemonics}}

Useful [[mnemonic]]s have been created to make it easier to remember the numeric order of resistor color bands. The following example includes the tolerance codes gold, silver, and none:

* '''B'''ad '''B'''eer '''R'''ots '''O'''ut '''Y'''our '''G'''uts '''B'''ut '''V'''odka '''G'''oes '''W'''ell – '''G'''et '''S'''ome '''N'''ow.<ref name="Campbell_BUCD"/>

* '''B'''etty '''B'''rown '''R'''uns '''O'''ver '''Y'''our '''G'''arden '''B'''ut '''V'''iolet '''G'''ingerly '''W'''alks.

* '''B'''ad '''B'''ears '''R'''aid '''O'''ur '''Y'''ummy '''G'''rub '''B'''ut '''V'''eto '''G'''rey '''W'''affles.

* '''BB''' '''ROY''' from '''G'''reat '''B'''ritain has a '''V'''ery '''G'''ood '''W'''ife.

The following example includes the tolerance codes — gold, silver and none:

* '''B'''ad '''B'''eer '''R'''ots '''O'''ut '''Y'''our '''G'''uts '''B'''ut '''V'''odka '''G'''oes '''W'''ell – '''G'''et '''S'''ome '''N'''ow.<ref name="Campbell_BUCD"/>

The colors are sorted in ascending order of visible light photon [[visible light spectrum|frequency/energy]] like in a rainbow to make them easy to remember and to reduce the significance of possible read errors due to color shifts and fading over time<!-- except for the tolerance ring -->: red (2), orange (3), yellow (4), green (5), blue (6), violet (7). Black (0) has no energy, brown (1) has a little more, white (9) has everything and grey (8) is like white, but less intense.<ref name="Clement"/>

=={{anchor|Capacitor code}}Capacitors==

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; Online resistor calculators

:* [http://www.resistorcalc.net Multi-purpose resistor code converter] (4 and 5 band, mobile-friendly, shows nearest standard value)

:* [httphttps://samstechlib.com/46436194/en/read/6_Band_Resistor_Color_Codes 6 band resistor color code calculator] (easy lookup, 4 and 5 band calculators also available)

; Historical charts

:* [https://stevenjohnson.com/cardboard/wheelcharts.htm Wheel charts]